Heroes of the City of Man: A Christian Guide to Select Ancient Literature (Paperback)

by Peter J. Leithart (Author) "What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?" Tertullian exclaimed, and his question has echoed through the following centuries..." (more)
Key Phrases: delayed identification, heroic ethic, blood avenger, Review Questions, Thought Questions, Oedipus Tyrannus (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"The most obvious virtue of Leithart's book is its scope. In a single volume he provides a defense for the value of reading classical literature, a methodology for integrating that literature with the Christian faith, and a reader's guide to the works of classical literature that a contemporary reader would most benefit from reading." -- Leland Ryken, Wheaton College

"With verve and cunning, Leithart centers the reader in a sound theology of story before equipping him to engage ancient texts like The Iliad with profound Biblical and literary insight." (Bruce L. Edwards, Bowling Green State Univ. (Ohio)) -- (Bruce L. Edwards, Bowling Green State Univ.- Ohio)

"Leithart doesn't simply discuss the intricacies of the texts; he goes further and allows unique biblical insight to illuminate the conflict between the heroes of the city of man and the city of God. The most obvious virtue of Leithart's book is its scope. In a single volume he provides a defense for the value of reading classical literature, a methodology for integrating that literature with the Christian faith, and a reader's guide to the works of classical literature that a contemporary reader would most benefit from reading." --Leland Ryken, Wheaton College

The most obvious virtue of Leithart's book is its scope. In a single volume he provides a defense for the value of reading classical literature, a methodology for integrating that literature with the Christian faith, and a reader's guide to the works of classical literature that a contemporary reader would most benefit from reading. -- Leland Ryken, Wheaton College<br /><br />With verve and cunning, Leithart centers the reader in a sound theology of story before equipping him to engage ancient texts like The Iliad with profound Biblical and literary insight. --Bruce L. Edwards, Bowling Green State Univ. (Ohio)

Product Description
Leithart's Heroes of the City of Man analyzes some of the grand classics of ancient literature—Theogeny, the Iliad, the Odyssey, the Aeneid, and four prominent Greek dramas from Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes, commenting on each, section-by-section.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 394 pages
• Publisher: Canon Press (July 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1885767552
• ISBN-13: 978-1885767554
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #116,146 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Christian Guide to Pagan Literature, June 17, 2000

By A Customer

This book, put simply, is a good guide to the ancient Greek and Roman literature from a biblical worldview. Leithart goes through the works, from Hesiod to Virgil, keeping his eye on both the Christian implications of the work and the literary structure. This book is an excellent resource, whether you are looking for biblical or literary teaching on these ancient epics. It's good not only for school teachers but for the rest of us as well.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Literature Guide for Christians, July 29, 2005

By	CD "devotedmomof7" (Texas) - See all my reviews

QUESTION: Should Christian young people be exposed to classical works depicting various worldviews against our belief system? If they are not, how will they be prepared with a ready answer and be well-educated to culturally important works?
ANSWER: Peter Leithart

Leithart enters the debate with an excellent resource for the education of Christian young people. He takes "important" classical works and examines them by practically contrasting them against the Biblical worldview. I use the word "important" as a term meaning that the philosophies in these works dramatically impacted worldview shifts in the course of history. By contrasting these thoughts to the Biblical truths, Leithart assists in preparing young adults to give a defense for the "hope that is within them."

Leithart also brings excellent literary information, as well. He examines literary devices and references other well-known works as part of the study.